Building block



March 18, 1930. D. o. FORMAN BUILDING BLOCK Filed July 27. 1927 jandQEIWZCZIV I Patented Mar. 18, 1930 UNITED STATES DAVID O. FORMAN, 0FMORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA BUILDING BLOCK Application filed July 27,

This invention relates to improvements in building blocks and has for anob ect the provision of a block whlch Wlll simulate a number of brickswith mortar courses between the bricks, the material representing themortar being differently colored from the bricks, so that a realisticand pleasing effect will be obtained without the additional expense ofstriping.

Another object of the invention 1s the provision of a block of the abovecharacter having means to space the blocks apart when set, so that themortar courses between the blocks will be of the same thickness as theimitated courses between the bricks, and it will be practicallyimpossible to distinguish the imitated mortar courses from the realcourses.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention further includesthe following novel features and details of construction, to behereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a number ofblocks constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a detail perspective view of a slightly modified form ofblock.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary section showing the arrangement of thevertical mortar courses between the blocks.

Figure 4 is a view partly in elevation and partly in sectionillustrating the arrangement of the horizontal mortar courses betweenthe blocks.

Referring to the drawings in detail where in like characters ofreference denote corresponding parts, the referegce character 10indicates a block having one of its faces provided with intersectinglongitudinally extending grooves 11 and vertically extending grooves 12.These grooves are arranged so that the face of the block simulates anumber of whole bricks and half bricks 13, the grooves 11 and 12simulating the mortar courses between the bricks.

In order to increase the realistic effect, the body portion of the blockwhich forms the 1927. Serial No. 208,851.

bricks 13 is composed of cement colored to represent bricks of anydesired shade, while the bottoms of the grooves 11 and 12 are formedofstrips 14 of a different color so as to represent mortar of anydesired color. The strips 14 thus form the base or bottoms of thegrooves 11 and 12. The material which forms the strips 14 is placed inthe molds at the time of forming the block, any suitable means beingutilized for this pur- 6 pose. For example, one face of the mold may beprovided with ribs to form the grooves 11 and 12 and as the material ofwhich the block is formed is placed in the mold,- this material isscraped away from the ribs and the material for the strips 14 placedwithin these scraped-away portions. An artistic and pleasing effect isthus produced Without the necessity of striping.

The ends of the blocks are provided with projections 16 which extendfrom the half bricks and these projections abut one another as shown inFigure 1 of the drawings so that the efiect of a whole brick isobtained. The projections 16 are so proportioned as to pro vide a spacebetween the ends of the blocks which is equal to the width of thegrooves 11 and 12 and acts as a gage for the vertical mortar coursesbetween the ends of the blocks. Projections 17 extend from the top orbottom faces of the blocks and act to space the blocks apart so that thehorizontal mortar courses between the blocks will be in conformity withthe remaining mortar courses or grooves 11 and 12. It will thus bepractically impossible to detect the imitated courses from the realcourses and the face of a building or wall composed of these blocks willpresent a uniform and pleasing effect.

The block illustrated in Figure 2 has its projection 16 provided withsubstantially V-shaped notches 18 which form anchor notches forreceiving the mortar and act to resist tendency of the blocks to movevertically.

The invention is susceptible of various changes in its form, proportionsand minor details of construction and the right is herein reserved tomake such changes as properly fall within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having described the invention what is claimed is 1. In a cementbuilding block, a block having its main body portion formed of a cementmixture and having longitudinal and transverse intersecting grooves inone face to simulate brick and mortar courses and strips of a materialcolored differently from the bricks and forming the bottoms of thegrooves of the mortar courses, flat parallel ends for the block andspacing projections extending ,beyond the ends and one horizontal faceof the block, the projections at the ends of the block having V-shapedmortar receiving notches therein.

2. In a cement building block, a block having its main body portionformed of a cement mixture and having longitudinal and a transverseintersecting grooves in one face to simulate brick and mortar coursesand strips of a material colored diflerently from the bricks and formingthe bottoms of the grooves of the mortar courses, and spacingprojections extending beyond the ends and one horizontal face'of theblock, the first mentioned projections simulating half bricks andproviding mortar retaining means where the simulated half bricks abut.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

DAVID O. F ORMAN.

